Prayer and power

I have made this statement a few times in the last 24 hours..."this was the best mission trip we have ever taken." After being in Mexico 6 times in the past 4 years I cannot believe I am making this statement because every time we go it is an amazing experience. But I can honestly say that this week was something special. I cannot say strongly enough how proud I am of each of the students who went with us. God handpicked this group for sure, and I know He had a very specific plan for them while they were down there...which will continue to flesh itself out as they return home.

I'm not going to have the time to take you on a play by play of the trip...there is just too much. But I can tell you that God is doing something amazing in El Limon, Mexico. There is a reason I love to take what is supposed to be a 6 hour (which turned into 7 1/2 on the way down and 10 on the way back) bus trip to spend 4 days there every year. God is at work...and it is so visible. I think God is always at work...in our lives and in the lives of the people around us. He is in the business of transforming each of us to be more like Him. He is in the business of providing for our needs and loving us like no human can. But I think we miss a lot of what God does in our busy, "I want it now" society. There are 45 orphans at Mama Paulita's childrens home. And each one of them is learning in very practical and hands on ways about how God protects them, Fathers them and lifts them up. They are learning that God does give us what we need and that the biggest thing we need is an intimate realtionship with Him and the capacity to love each other well. They are experiencing His provisions in ways that we in America can't imagine because we have so much. And they are teaching others to love like Jesus.

Every Monday at Mama Paulita's the children do an outreach in their neighborhood. This neighborhood is very poor. Some houses don't even have doors and one house was missing part of its roof. Many of the people were just chilling out under a tree trying to beat the 110 degree heat of the afternoon. This week, the children were going out in different teams praying for people and giving them a New Testament. We were lucky enough to be invited along, and as we began walking I wasn't sure what to expect. I don't speak much Spanish, so I was planning on just hanging toward the back of the group and observing all that was happening. To my surprise, most of these people invited us all into their yards and houses and spoke with us for some time about their situations. We met a lady who just had a knee replacement and was struggling to get around. We met a lady whose son lives and works in Houston and she is all alone...she said she clings to God because He is all she has. We met someone who had never heard much of the Gospel before and Juan Carlos (who is around 16, by the way) shared beautifuly with her about the love of God and how she can depend on Him for everything. As we prayed for each of these people I was overwhelmed at how God transcends language and culture. He is everywhere and listens to everyone...all the time. I was floored as I watched these kids who have virtually nothing material share everything they do have with these people...and pray with a faith that I rarely encounter. They know God is at work...and they pray with conviction and power.

During our circle time that night one of the students said this..."after seeing their faith and how they pray I realized that its not these kids that need help...it's us." I agree with her. We need help to have the kind of faith these kids posess. We need help to be able to pray with the confidence and power that they pray with. So today I am praying from Scripture, "I believe, help my unbelief." I hope you will join me in this prayer. More later...